Resilient vehicle wheel



F. M. ZoTToLI. y HESILIENT VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION man Ju'NE s. 1922.

Patented Dec., 12, `1f22.

FRANK 1W. ZOTTOLI, 0F BOSTON', MASSACHUSETTS.

nnsininnfr vnHrcLn WHEEL.

Application led June 6,

' 1l, 1922. lt has for its object to provide an improved resilient tire structure of relatively simple and inexpensive character which will provide a cushioning effect substantially equal to that of a pneumatic tire, while avoiding the well-known objections to the latter, and which necessitates practically no change in or modification of the construction of the wheel proper or or" the 'felly of the wheel, and which is of durable and substantial construction so as to meet the requirements of use which includes the necessary power transmitting connections to adapt the same for application to a traction wheel. One object of the invention is to provide a construction which will afford the necessary resistance to side strain and which is of a sectional form permitting a worn or accidentally injured portion thereof to be renewed without replacing theentire structure. Another object of the invention is to provide means for preventing the sectional tread portions from creeping.

The .foregoing and other objects of the invention, together with .inea-ns whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following descriptioi'i, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

ln the drawings, Figure 'l is a sectional view of portion of a vehicle wheel embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of a portion of the wheel.

F ig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. L1- is an enlarged sectional detail showing the means for preventing the creeping.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown at 10 a wheel telly connected by spokes 11 with a hub, not shown, said telly 1922. Serial N0. 566,395.

spokes and hub being of -any suitable or well-known construction.

Encircling the felly is a. metal band 12 having an annular series of side flanges 13-13 which extend radially inward and engage the side faces of' the telly, and are suitably secured thereto as by screws or bolts 14:. Said band 12 also has radial outwardly extending side flanges 15-15 in continuation of the flanges 13-13- Said `flanges 15--15 form together with the band 12 a channel encircling the periphery of the telly 10. n

A plurality of' .tread sections 16 are providedwhich are hinged together', forming an endless tread portion which encircles the said flanged band 12 and the channel formed by the flanges 15-15. Said tread sections 16'niay be made of any suitable material possessing the necessary rigidity, but are preferably composed of metal. Eacho'f said tread sections is U-shaped in cross section, having a base or tread portion 17 and parallel side portions 18-18 which telescope onto the flanges 1.5-15 of the fe-lly band 12, as shown in Figure 2. p

Preferably there should be as many of these tread sections as there are spokes in the. wheel.. These tread sections arehinged together in any suitable way, so that they may yield as they successively strike 'the ground on the under side of the wheel. rlhe preferred method of hinging them is as follows :f

The contiguous sections 16 are 'formed with interengaging teeth at their ends,v one end being formed withv teeth 19 and the other end being formed with teeth 20as shown in Figure 3, so that the teeth 19 of' one section will engage in the spaces 21 be tween the teeth of the adjacent section, andy the teeth 2O will interengage with the spaces between the tee-th 19 of the adjacent section. and with the spaces outside of the outer teeth 19. 'Every two adjacent sections are hinged together by a pin 22. f

A band 23 of larger diameter than the 'felly band 12 encircles the v`telly band, said band 23 being suiiiciently narrow to fit 1nside of the flanges 15-15 of the telly band 12. An annular series of springs 24eV are radially disposed within the annular channel formed by the flanges 15-15 and felly band 12, said springs forming a spring seat for the band 23. ln order to properly position said springs and hold` them in place, the telly band 12 is provided @nits periphery with an annular' series ot nubsor buttons 25, spaced apart trom each other according to the predetermined Vspacing ot the springs, said buttons entering the, epen inner ends ot the said several springs to properly position them. The annular-"band 23 is also provided on its inner periphery with an annular series ot buttons 2G Which engage the outerv ends et the said springs 2a. rthe two ot buttons, theretore, maintain the springs 2a in proper relative position.

A series ot springs 27 are inserted in the annular series ot tread sections 16, each tread section receivingaspring and being` termed with a button 28 to engage one endfot the spring, the intermediate band bei-ng'provided on its outer periphery vwith a corre spending; number and arrangement ot buttons 28 to receive the inner ends ot the springs 27. f

ljreterably` there are twice as many springs inthe inner series mounted on the tellyA band 12 as thereare inthe tread sections; that is, preterably there .are springs mounted on the telly band indirect align-- ment with the springs in the tread sections, and therearealso springs mounted on the ytelly band opposite thehinpged ends-Ot the tread sections, as shownv in Figure 1.

\ Means are provided to prevent thecr'eeping otthe tread sections, the means preterred and as shown in the drawings being as tolloWs: Rigidly connectedwithor integral With the. telly band 12 is an annular series ottongues 29 entendinglradially outward rtrom the band 12, there being `one ot these tongues intermediate each two adjacent springs 2a otV the inside series. rlhe intermediate band 23 is termed Witha serieswot U-shaped lips 30, which extend radially inward, suitable in number, position andtorm to receive-betweenzeach pair` otr lips 30-30 one ot the tongues 29Which proj ect trom the telly band 12. lla-eh tready section 16l is termed With a radial inwardlyl extending tongue 32 and the band 23 is tormedwith a series ot outwardly extending; radial lips 31 similar to the lips 30 to receive-thetengues 32. lt Willthus be obvious, that, as the telly band 12'is rigidly connectedfwiththe telly, the several tongues 2.9 engaging- With the lips 30, will prevent the intermediate band 23 trom creeping' and this inturn being-,kept trom creeping); will by mea-ns ot the interengagement ot the lips Sifwith the tongues@ keep the tiresectionssldtrom creeping.

What: l claim is: 1'. ln a vehicle Wheel, telly having securedl theretov a channel inemberY Whichencircles'the' periphery et the telly` an annular series-ct springsradiallyf,mounted insaid channel member,v an annular band seated upon the outer ends ot said springs, an annular series ot tread members hinged together encircling said annular band and having side anges which telescope onto the sides ot Asaid channel member, the flanges `and tread side ot each ot said tread membe 1s torming a socket, and springs seated in the sockets in said tread members, the inner ends Aot which engage the outer tace ot said annular band and the outer ends ot which torm a spring seat tor the tread members.A i

2. A vehicle Wheel. having a channel member secured to theA periphery ot the telly, series ot springs mounted in said channel member, an annular band seated upon the said springs, an annular series ot tread members encircling said band,y and springs intermediate said band and said tread members on which the treadr members are seated.

3. A vehicle Wheel having a1 channel member. secured.V to the periphery ot. the telly, aseries ot springs mounted in said channel member, an annular band seated uponthe said springs, an annular series ot tread members encirclingY said band, springs imermediate` said band and saidtreadlmembers onwhich the tread members are seated,

and means. tor preventing` the treadl members trom creepingl with relationto the said band and telly. v.

e. A vehicle Wheel having aVK channel member secured tothe. periphery ot the telly, a seriesot springs mountedy in said channel member, an annular band seated upon the .saidv springs, an annular series ot tread members encircling` said band, springs intermediateA said band and` said tread members on which the treadnmembers are seated, means tor preventing theV tread members trom creepingA with relation to the said band and telly, said band, and telly having interengaging portionsl which permit a radial movement o'tvthe saidband'with relation to the wheel but Whichl prevent circumterential:motion, said band andsaid tread members alsoy having interengaging portions Which` permit. radial movement ot the tread'sections With relation to the said band but which prevent circumterential motionV ot the tread sections Withrelation. to the said band.

5. A vehicle Wheel having a channel member securedr to; the periphery; ot the telly,a= seriesI ot' springsinounted in said channel member, anl annular band' seated upon the said springsan annular` series ot tread members encirclingl Saidjvbandsprings intermediate. said band andlsaid'. tread, members on which the tread'members are seated,

the saidv @hamlet member haring av series Ot tongues extending. radially Outward beingr a series of lips extending radially outextending` radially inward which have a.

slidable engagement with the said last mentioned lips on the band, whereby the said tread sections and the band intermediate the tread sections and the elly are permitted radial movement With relation to the dtelly but are prevented from oircumterential movement with relation to the elly.

6. A vehicle Wheel having a channel memberI secured to the periphery of the telly, a series of springs mounted in said channel member, an annular band oi larger diameter' than the 'telly seated upon the said springs, an annular series oft' tread members pivotally connected together and encircling said band, the annulus :formed by said tread members being of greater diameter than the said band, and springs intermediate said band and said tread members on which the tread members are seated.

7. A vehicle Wheel having a channel member secured to the periphery of the telly, a series of springs mounted in said Channel member, an annular band of larger diameter than the telly seated upon the said springs, an annular series of tread members pivotally connected together and encircling said band, the annulus Jformed by said tread members being of greater diameter than the said band, springs intermediate said band and said tread members on which the tread members are seated, said band having projeetions upon its inner and outer periphery which respectively engage with projections from the outer periphery of the channel member and the inner periphery oi the tread members, so constructed and arranged that the said tread members and annular band are permitted a radial movement With relation to the Wheel but are held 'from cireumferential movement With relation to the Wheel.

ln testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

FRANK M. ZOTTQLl. 

